Vasili’s (Billy’s) Hot Dog Stand
The smell of bloated smoked meat overwhelms your nostrils as you exit Central Park at 93rd street. Customers walk by with eager hands delicately peeling tin foil to reveal ketchup lathered dogs and sausages. The sounds of boiling, bubbling water can almost be mistaken for the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Welcome to Vasilis’s hot dog cart, a monopoly in an expensive, “hot dogless” Central Park West strip.
The owner in question, Vasili, is a master of his craft. He grew up in Mani, a peninsula in southern Greece, and moved to New York when he was 18 years old. Like my own family and the majority of immigrants, his goal was to make money and send it back home to his family. Now he works to just keep himself busy. When speaking to him he said “I get to see my family in Mani a few times a year. Usually during the winter when business is slower. My favorite part of it all is being able to meet people.” However, Vasili is really only off for a month during the winter and when it is heavily snowing. Unlike the ice cream trucks and tourist-seeking food carts that come out in the spring Vasili knows his audience: people want hot dogs year round. When it is the middle of a dry, cold winter and you can’t help but dream about July, Vasili is there to give you a taste of it. He works for everyone, not just the tourists, which is uncommon for a hot dog stand. His positioning on 93rd and Central Park West reflects that. While he is across from one of the many entrances of Central Park, he is not sitting right at the entrance. This doesn’t mean he resents tourists, in fact he enjoys their company and their stories. If you search him up on Yelp, the majority of his reviews are from people all over the country raving about how his friendliness made their trip to the Big Apple. He feels comfortable with his spot on the corner of 93rd street: “if people need to find me, they know where I am.”
Photo taken by Wayne Steffley March 2nd 2022
Recently I spoke to him about my second favorite hot dog spot in Detroit, Michigan Lafayette Coney Island (or just Lafayette). I explained that they are known for their chili, mustard, and onion dogs and can get very messy. He said to me that “a hot dog is only good when some of it gets on your shirt or the ground.” He wants to make sure the meal he provides his customers with is “so delicious they won’t be upset that their favorite shirt is now permanently stained with mustard.”
The process of buying from his cart comes in three steps. First you are enticed by the smell of hot dogs and ask for one, preferably with some sort of condiment or topping. This includes ketchup, mustard, onions, sauerkraut and relish your basic hot dog condiments. Vasili’s favorite combination is mustard and sauerkraut, but won’t judge you if you opt for something else. Then he directs your attention to the various chip and candy brands he sells. On display he has Classic Lays, Doritos Cool Ranch, Sunchips Harvest Ranch, and Doritos Nacho Cheese. (what’s there) This causes you to think about how nice it might be to have a little crunch to your meal or perhaps you are thinking ahead and realizing you will definitely need something sweet after a salty dog. After your selection you can imagine your mouth feeling parched or having quite a taste after your food is finished. This is where he directs you to the beverage options hidden in the freezer compartment of his stand which are perspiring with ice cold water. My typical order is a hot dog with ketchup, a bag of Sunchips, and a bottle of Coke.
However, our connection runs a bit deeper than hot dogs. The moment he found out that my family was from Mani an unbreakable bond was formed. To know that our families were from the same region in Greece brought about a certain understanding between Vasili and me. Walking by and hearing “How are you Constandina?” getting a bag of chips handed to me was always a treat growing up. Nowadays, with his recently purchased olive farm in Greece, people are shocked to hear that the man who sells hot dogs on my corner gives me free bottles of olive oil. While it is a different relationship than most people have with their neighborhood hot dog cart owner, it is important to note the stereotype surrounding hot dog carts in New York City. Vasili challenges the dirty, unappealing, and unsafe stereotypes head on. Not only are his hot dogs good, but he himself has a kind heart that is hard to find in a typical self-centered New York City neighborhood. While I’m sure he is a little biased towards my family, his graciousness is extended to everyone. Taking his time to introduce himself to customers and hearing their stories. Going so far as to offer them free items with their orders. One student from Columbia Grammar (which is right around the corner) said “Every week I get a free candy bar with my hot dog.” A local doorman named Raphael relies on him for his lunch “I like him a lot. He’s been working on that corner for as long as I have worked here and I’m glad to have a convenient lunch spot with good company.”
Vasili has worked on the corner of 93rd street and Central Park West for over a decade and in his words “will continue to until I can no longer stand.” His service to the neighborhood of 93rd st and on will continue to be appreciated by me and my neighbors, but also the lucky souls who get to meet him in passing.
